Summary of Area of Interest (Section I)

As the population ages, the burden of chronic disease for those 50 year and older is on the rise in America, nurses today must always be prepared to adapt to changes that result from evidence-based practice. When nurses are providing care to patients it is necessary to diligently observe any areas of care that improvement or further research is needed to enhance patient outcomes. One practice of concern is glucose monitoring for diabetics. Frequent blood glucose sticks can be a daunting task which leaves concern that adequate testing may not always occur. Control of blood glucose begins with proper blood sugar monitoring. Blood sugar should be checked at minimum before meals and bedtime but may be required for frequently. The use of a continuous glucose monitor is recommended for many reasons and brings many benefits over traditional capillary monitoring for diabetic patients, especially when it comes to HbA1c (Grennan et al., 2023).

Problem Statement (Section I)

Unmanaged diabetes has negative effects on multiple body systems. Blood vessels in the eyes can be damaged leading to conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts and retinopathy, which is the leading cause of blindness in adults 20-74 years of age according to the National Eye Institute. High blood sugar also damages the nerves, causing decreased sensation, ulcers, infection and vascular dementia.